Date: 31st OCT - 3rd NOV 2024 | 9AM-5PM
Daily Talks: 11am
Venue: Uitsig Wine Estate, Spaanschemat, River Road, Constantia.
The peril of plastics in Victoria Falls
The elephants of Victoria Falls face an ecological crisis; these giants of Africa are the latest victims of an insidious enemy—plastic pollution. Every month, 230 tonnes of plastic waste, the equivalent weight of 33 elephants, floods the town and its surrounding areas.
In the rubbish dumps surrounding the Falls, elephants and other wildlife scavenge, ingesting plastics, glass, and other harmful waste. The plastic waste the elephants ingest forms ulcers in their stomachs, causing them immense pain and leading to increased human-animal conflict as they become aggressive in their search for relief. Devastatingly, most cases of this ‘plasticosis’ result in the death of the animals affected.
Ardmore’s Founder, Fée Halsted, and a talented group of Ardmore artists have come together to create a body of work to tell this urgent story and support the essential work of Ele-Collection.
About The Ele-Collection
Ele-Collection provides a groundbreaking solution to this crisis. Instead of relying on traditional recycling, Ele-Collection employs advanced technology to convert all types of plastic waste into building aggregate. This innovative process can handle all seven types of plastic with minimal sorting required, making it a truly comprehensive solution to the problem of plastic waste. The resulting aggregate is not just a byproduct—it’s a valuable material that can be used in construction, offering a sustainable way to lock away plastic for good.
Trunks in Trouble
The body of work created by the Ardmore artists will be presented for the first time in their upcoming exhibition in Cape Town, titled ‘Trunks in Trouble’. Through this exhibition, Ardmore seeks to raise awareness and funds to protect these magnificent creatures from the dangers of plastic waste, and support the work of Ele-Collection in creating a cleaner, safer and more sustainable future for our wildlife.